Foot-warmer



(No Model.)

- M. E. BOYD.

FOOT WARMBR.

No. 311,283". Patented Jam 2'7, 1885.

box.

UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

MARGARET EMILY BOYD, OF CARTHAGE, ILLINOIS.

FOOT-WARMER SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,283, dated January 27, 1885.

Application filed July 19, 1853. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that LMARGARET EMILY BOYD, a citizen of the United States, residing-at Oarthage, in the county of Hancock and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Foot- VVarmer, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my said inventionis to furnish a useful and convenient means of thoroughly warming the whole foot and keeping thesame warm, especially in cases of persons engaged in sedentary pursuits, or in riding in a Vehicle or on the cars, or in any other pursuit or engagement in which the active use and motion of the foot are not required.

For the accomplishment of this object my said invention consists in the insertion of the feetinto two shoes,made of metal or other proper material,lined on theinside with felt, cotton, or woolen material, and so sunk or lowered into or suspended within a metallic box filled with Warm water as to allow the water to circulate freely above, beneath, and on every side of the said shoes and of the feet placed therein. I attain these results by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the footwarmer, showing the foot in its position in the shoe; Fig. 2, a View of thefoot-warmer in an upright position, with the top turned toward the beholder, and in a position to be raised by the handle and carried from one place to another; Fig. 3, a vertical section of the foot warmer out at the line A G of Fig. 2.

The frame-work of the foot-warmer is a box, made of tin, copper, or other metal or suitable material, about twelve inches in length, about ten or twelve inches in width, and about five or six inches in depth. This box is to be made with square corners, and is to be chamfered at the front end, as shown by Fig. 1. Onthetop of the box are two openings, 0 0, through which the feet are to be inserted into the shoes hereinafter described. At the front end of the box is a handle, H, by which the box may be carried from place to place, and also a nozzle with a screw-cap covering, through which the water is inserted into or discharged from said The nozzle is placed about the middle is a ready conductor of heat.

of the front end of the box, and is seen atN in Fig. 2. Thereis a partition, 1?, running lengthwise through the middle of the box,which divides the box into equal compartments-one for each of the shoes hereinafter described. This partition contains a series of holes, as shown at P in Fig. 1, for the purpose of allowing the water to circulate freely from one compartment of the box to the other. The partition renders the box firmer and stronger than it would otherwise be.

Inserted into and suspended within each of the compartments of the box is a shoe, S, the

top or ankle or opening of the shoe being attached to the box, as shown at O in Fig. 2. This shoe is made of metal or other suitable material which is impenetrable by water and Beneath each shoe is a metallic brace or support, B,attached to and extending from the bottom of the shoe tot-hebottom ofthebox. Thisbraceisofabout the same length as the shoe, and, like the shoe, is shorter than the box, so that the water may pass and circulate freely around the whole shoe, as indicated by a in Fig. 3. The shoes are lined with felt, cotton, or woolen material, and are large enough to contain the feet and theaccompanying boots or shoes of the persons using the foot-warmer. In the case of a person of unusually large feet the dimensions of the box may be increased, so as to adapt the foot-warmer to the necessities of the particular case.

To prepare the foot-warmer for use it should be filled with warm or hot water inserted through the nozzle N. The water will remain warm, under ordinary circumstances, for several hours, and may be rewarmed, when. necessary, by placing the footwarmer upon a stove. When the foot-warmer has been filled with the warm water, it should be placed in the position shown in Fig. 1; or if theperson should be in a reclining posture, or should be lying down, the foot-warmer may be placed in an upright or leaning position,as occasion may require. The feet are then to be inserted into the shoes of the foot-warmer through the openings O O. The water in thebox will circulate freely above, beneath, and on every side of the shoes of the foot-warmer and come in contact with every part thereof, and thereby the feet will be kept warm and comfortable.

I am aware that previous to my invention it was not broadly new to constructafoot-warmer having a receptacle for the feet which is surrounded on all sides, except the rear, by a bodyv of hot water, as shown in Patent No. 5,029, dated March 20, 1847, and Ido not claim such construction as my invention.

And now, having fully described my invention, whati desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination, in a foot-warmer, of a boX or case having a foot-receptacle suspended therein to form aclosed water-chamberaround said receptacle, the latter being connected to 2. The combination, ina foot-warmer, of a box or case having feet-receptacles suspended therein to form a closed water-chamber surrounding said receptacles, a central partition arranged in said box or case, and perforated as described, and vertical braces located beneath said receptacles, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a foot-warmer, of a box or case having a foot-receptacle suspended therein to form a closed water-chamber around said receptacle, and a lining of felt or other like material arranged in said receptacle, substantially as set forth.

MARGARET EMILY BOYD. 

